Science X Newsletter Tuesday, May 3

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for May 3, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Why is space three-dimensional?
- An elastomer that behaves like an artificial muscle
- Scientists make 3D holograms of atoms inside molecular structures
- Introducing the disposable laser: Ultra-low-cost, easy to fabricate 'lasing capsules' made with inkjet printer
- Solar plane on global trip arrives in Arizona
- Extended rest between weight lifting sets could help muscle growth
- New tool allows scientists to visualize 'nanoscale' processes
- Chinese company announces development of graphene electronic paper
- Quantum filter has 20,000 Josephson junctions
- Planet Nine: A world that shouldn't exist
- Why Labrador retrievers are more interested in food than other breeds
- Algae use their 'tails' to gallop and trot like quadrupeds
- Watch immune cells 'glue' broken blood vessels back together
- Autism and cancer share a remarkable number of risk genes in common
- Scientists challenge conventional wisdom to improve predictions of the bootstrap current at the edge of fusion plasmas

Astronomy & Space news

	Planet Nine: A world that shouldn't exist Earlier this year scientists presented evidence for Planet Nine, a Neptune-mass planet in an elliptical orbit 10 times farther from our Sun than Pluto. Since then theorists have puzzled over how this planet could end up in such a distant orbit.
	Found: Clues about volcanoes under ice on ancient Mars Volcanoes erupted beneath an ice sheet on Mars billions of years ago, far from any ice sheet on the Red Planet today, new evidence from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter suggests.
	Image: Enceladus and Saturn's rings The water-world Enceladus appears here to sit atop Saturn's rings like a drop of dew upon a leaf. Even though it appears like a tiny drop before the might of the giant Saturn, Enceladus reminds us that even small worlds hold mysteries and wonders to be explored.
	Image: Mercury's Kertesz crater On 9 May, at 11:10 GMT, Mercury will begin making its way across the face of the Sun – an astronomical event known as a transit. During the transit, which will last for several hours and be at least partially visible across most of the world, the planet will be seen as a small black dot silhouetted against our star.
Proposed coin would honor space-shuttle teacher McAuliffe New Hampshire's U.S. senators have introduced a bill for the creation of a coin in recognition of the 30th anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger disaster and honoring Christa McAuliffe, who was picked to be the first teacher in space.
	NASA repurposes passive thermal-control technology for CubeSats An older technology once de rigueur for preventing spacecraft gadgetry from getting too hot or too cold has been resurrected and repurposed for an emerging class of small satellites now playing an increasingly larger role in space exploration, technology demonstration, and scientific research.
	NASA employees among finalists for prestigious Heyman Medal Among this year's finalists for the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal is Dennis Reuter, a planetary scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Named for the Partnership for Public Service's late founder, the award recognizes federal employees who "break down barriers, overcoming huge challenges and getting results."

Technology news

	Solar plane on global trip arrives in Arizona A solar-powered airplane landed in suburban Phoenix Monday night after a daylong flight from California—the latest leg in its around the world journey using only energy from the sun.
	BeatBot designed to help make the best of a runner's time (Tech Xplore)—The PUMA BeatBot is being promoted in a video as the future of faster. The world's fastest man and PUMA athlete Usain Bolt is featured in this video as well. The device is designed not only for world stunners such as Bolt but for runners at all levels.
	Bitcoin claim ripples through virtual currency world The world of virtual currencies was stunned Monday when Australian entrepreneur Craig Wright claimed to be the creator of the Bitcoin.
	Who created bitcoin? The long search may not be over Who is Satoshi Nakamoto? For many in the tech world, the identity of bitcoin's elusive creator has been a long-running parlor game. And the speculation might not be over.
Elusive Aussie Bitcoin founder a reluctant identity Secretive Australian entrepreneur Craig Wright, who has revealed himself as the creator of the virtual Bitcoin currency, is an elusive individual who appears to have covered his tracks well.
Philips to spin off lighting branch in 'historic' IPO (Update) Dutch electronics giant Philips announced Tuesday it was floating its lighting arm on the stock market in a "historic" initial public offering, after failing for over 18 months to find a buyer.
	Move over drones, driverless cars—unmanned ship up next It's not only drones and driverless cars that may become the norm someday—ocean-faring ships might also run without captains or crews.
	'Miracle suit' inspired by NASA research saves new mothers around the world In 1969 NASA Ames Research Center received an unusual call for help: a local woman who had given birth continued to experience abdominal bleeding weeks later despite every attempt to halt it, including nine surgical procedures. Her condition, known as postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), can result from a number of different complications during childbirth, and left untreated it can prove fatal. The patient had been transferred to Stanford University Hospital, where doctors continued to transfuse the woman with blood, but they still needed a way to stop the bleeding.
	New model to better predict crash blackspots QUT has developed a new blackspot identification method that offers an unbiased prediction of crash counts and allows a more accurate way to identify high-risk crash sites.
Developing customised snacks through 3D food printing VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd aims to develop advanced food manufacturing technologies by combining expertise in food, material science and 3D printing technology. Healthy snacks with great textures are in increasing demand among consumers. Researchers have the long-term vision of developing high-tech vending machines that provide customised purchases.
	Looking for art in artificial intelligence Algorithms help us to choose which films to watch, which music to stream and which literature to read. But what if algorithms went beyond their jobs as mediators of human culture and started to create culture themselves?
	What readers think about computer-generated texts Readers like to read texts generated by computers, especially when they are unaware that what they are reading was assembled on the basis of an algorithm. This, at any rate, is the conclusion suggested by the results of an experiment recently conducted by LMU media researchers. In the study, 986 subjects were asked to read and evaluate online news stories. Articles which the participants believed to have been written by journalists were consistently given higher marks for readability, credibility and journalistic expertise than those that were flagged as computer-generated – even in cases where the real "author" was in fact a computer.
	Replication of colored 3-D models simplified Researchers at ETH Zurich and Disney Research Zurich have developed a new technique called Computational Thermoforming. It enables them to manufacture plastic replicas of digital 3-D models, in which the shape and colour are reproduced in detail. This technique extends the range of digital fabrication methods and represents an efficient and cost-effective alternative to color 3-D printing.
	Solar plane arrives in Arizona on latest leg of global trip An airplane powered only by sunlight has arrived in a Phoenix suburb after completing the latest leg of its global trip.
	Racing cyclist benefits from motorcycle right behind him Research at TU Eindhoven, KU Leuven and the University of Liege has shown how a motorcyclist riding right behind a racing cyclist can reduce the air resistance for the cyclist by almost nine percent. In a time trial, such as this Friday's forthcoming prologue in the Giro (Tour of Italy) in Apeldoorn, this could mean a decisive advantage. The researchers advise the UCI (International Cycling Union) to extend the minimum distance between motorcycle and cyclist, also from a safety perspective, to 20 or 30 meters.
	Twitter's live video app hires chief editor Twitter's live video-streaming application, Periscope, has hired an editor in chief, Evan Hansen, who says he plans to showcase the best content and help develop the platform.
	Microsoft acquires Italian firm in IoT push Microsoft on Tuesday announced it has bought an Italian firm specializing in connecting smart objects in the Internet of Things (IoT), continuing its push into cloud computing.
	Algorithmic solution for hearing aids and implants tunes out talkers, tunes in the person the wearer wants to hear Wearers of cochlear implants and hearing aids often have difficulty teasing out what someone is saying over "babble"—the cacophony of other talkers—and other ambient sounds. New York University researchers have devised a novel solution: an algorithmic approach that, like making drinkable water from pond water, distills the talker's voice from a turbid wash of noise.
	Brazil to end WhatsApp shutdown: company A Brazilian court on Tuesday agreed to end its blockage of the smartphone messaging service WhatsApp after suspending it for failing to surrender user data, the company said.
GoGoGrandparent helps seniors without smartphones Don't be fooled by her age or her not-so-smart flip phone. Eighty-five-year-old Betty Lou Luce is spurring a technology movement that's spreading from bridge clubs to retirement homes across Southern California.
Snapchat is trying to remake its image by giving back to its LA neighbors When St. Joseph Center, a homeless services agency in the seaside Los Angeles neighborhood of Venice, needed funding for a software programming class for low-income women, Snapchat Inc. was an obvious candidate.
Making a purchase at retail a confusing mess, thanks to tech transition The seemingly simple process of making a purchase at a retail store hasn't been so simple lately.
Fitness app Strava faces an uproar over an elite cycling user linked to doping Among the spandex-clad cyclists raised in the app generation, there's no smartphone notification as foreboding as one from Strava.
Microsoft takes the long view on smartphone reboot Microsoft, after failing to build a smartphone hub to rival Google or Apple, is trying to change the conversation.
	Review: LG smartphone goes to pieces …on purpose Let's face it - LG makes fine smartphones, but they are not as popular as handsets from Apple or Samsung.
	Google autonomous car project teams with FiatChrysler Google parent Alphabet on Tuesday announced that it has partnered with Fiat Chrysler in a major expansion of its fleet of self-driving vehicles.
	CEO of China's Baidu summoned over student death (Update) Authorities have summoned the head of Baidu after the death of a student who sought a cancer cure on the Chinese search giant, reports said Tuesday, prompting a barrage of criticism for prioritising paid search results.
Updated Carat app gives a smart boost to battery The Carat Project Team at the University of Helsinki, Department of Computer Science, has published a new version of the popular mobile energy-awareness application.
	In Tech: Dish techs fix iPhones, Best Buy gets Oculus VR When Dish technicians aren't busy installing satellite TV services in people's homes, they'll be making house calls to replace iPhone batteries and broken screens.
Google offers $250,000 for Flint research, local nonprofit Google is offering $250,000 to help with the ongoing response efforts in Flint as the Michigan city reels from the effects of a lead-contaminated water supply.
	Brazil judge denies request to overturn WhatsApp suspension A judge on Tuesday refused to overturn a judicial order suspending service by the messaging service WhatsApp in Brazil for 72 hours.
	'Dishonored' video game sequel set for November debut Bethesda Softworks on Tuesday announced that a keenly-awaited sequel to hit video game "Dishonored" will be released on November 11.

Medicine & Health news

	Allergies induced by dust mites can harm DNA in lung cells House dust mites, which are a major source of allergens in house dust, can cause asthma in adults and children. Researchers from MIT and the National University of Singapore have now found that these mites have a greater impact than previously known—they induce DNA damage that can be fatal to lung cells if the damaged DNA is not adequately repaired.
	Research suggests the conscious experience of choice may be constructed after we act Sometimes, decisions we believe we make consciously, such as clicking on a link on a webpage or reaching for a cup of coffee, have already been made — a trick of the mind that may happen more than we think, new research by Yale University psychologists suggest.
	Scientists double number of known genetic risk factors for endometrial cancer An international collaboration of researchers has identified five new gene regions that increase a woman's risk of developing endometrial cancer, one of the most common cancers to affect women, taking the number of known gene regions associated with the disease to nine.
	Extended rest between weight lifting sets could help muscle growth Researchers from the University of Birmingham have found that extended rest intervals between sets of weight-lifting could help with muscle growth.
	Watch immune cells 'glue' broken blood vessels back together As we age, tiny blood vessels in the brain stiffen and sometimes rupture, causing "microbleeds." This damage has been associated with neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive decline, but whether the brain can naturally repair itself beyond growing new blood-vessel tissue has been unknown. A zebrafish study published on May 3 in Immunity describes for the first time how white blood cells called macrophages can grab the broken ends of a blood vessel and stick them back together.
	Autism and cancer share a remarkable number of risk genes in common Autism and cancer share more than 40 risk genes, suggesting that common mechanisms underlying the functions of some of these genes could conceivably be leveraged to develop therapies not just for cancer but for autism as well, an extensive assessment by researchers with the UC Davis MIND Institute and Comprehensive Cancer Center has found.
	Research points to a new treatment for pancreatic cancer Researchers have shown how controlling cholesterol metabolism in pancreatic cancer cells reduces metastasis, pointing to a potential new treatment using drugs previously developed for atherosclerosis.
Medical error third leading cause of death in US: study Medical error is the third largest cause of death in the United States, according to an analysis published Wednesday in the medical journal BMJ.
Study confirms long-term benefit of anti-VEGF therapy for age-related macular degeneration Patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of major vision loss in older people, still show benefits from a new class of therapy—originally developed to treat cancer—after long-term treatment.
Teens with allergies and asthma: Start prepping now for move to college You're a teenager with allergies or asthma and later this year you'll be heading off to college. You may be thinking, "I have tons of time to get myself together before I leave." Not so much. Start now to consider how you'll shift gears.
Double-blinded randomized controlled trial of the Xiao procedure in children Researchers at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital report the results of a double-blinded randomized controlled trial of the "Xiao procedure" in children with spina bifida.
	Infants much less likely to get the flu if moms are vaccinated while pregnant Babies whose moms get flu vaccinations while pregnant have a significantly reduced risk of acquiring influenza during their first six months of life, a new study shows, leading the authors to declare that the need for getting more pregnant women immunized is a public health priority.
Social clubs fill gap in dementia support Community-based social groups could play a crucial role in empowering people with early-onset dementia, according to new UBC research.
Herbal remedies are an overlooked global health hazard Millions of people around the world use herbal health remedies, following a tradition that began millennia ago. Many believe that herbs are safe because they have been used for many years, but researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and Stony Brook University are raising awareness that long-term use of herbal remedies is no guarantee of their safety. The invited commentary appears in EMBO reports.
Kids' eating habits highlight need for healthier lunchboxes New research from the University of Adelaide shows children aged 9-10 years old are receiving almost half of their daily energy requirements from "discretionary" or junk foods.
	An experimental Alzheimer's drug reverses genetic changes thought to spur the disease Aging takes its toll on the brain, and the cells of the hippocampus—a brain region with circuitry crucial to learning and memory—are particularly vulnerable to changes that can lead to Alzheimer's disease or cognitive decline. With the hope of counteracting the changes that can lead to these two conditions, researchers at Rockefeller University and their colleagues have begun examining the effects of a drug known to affect this circuitry.
Placebo effects in women are boosted by vasopressin A new study in the current issue of Biological Psychiatry suggests that women are particularly susceptible to the pain-relieving placebo effect of vasopressin.
	Physical fitness and a healthy diet remain the best measures to prevent diabetes Though many of the issues that cause diabetes are preventable, incidences of the disease have multiplied in the past 30 years, according to the World Health Organization. A person with diabetes has blood glucose levels that are above normal, and their body either does not make enough insulin or it cannot use its own insulin as well as it should. That causes sugar to build up in the blood.
'Inexpensive old drug' may prevent birth damage in high-risk newborns, study shows A 27-year-old drug for anemia may protect newborns at high risk for brain damage, according to the results of a multisite trial led by researchers at UC San Francisco.
	Open access to a potential new drug target for bowel cancer Monash and international researchers have discovered a protein that may be crucial in the development of 90 per cent of colon cancers, and may also be involved in the causation of several other cancers, including breast and liver cancers.
BPD a risk for STI/HIV transmission among incarcerated heterosexual African American men Sexually transmitted infections (STI), including HIV, disproportionately affect incarcerated populations. In 2010, over 90 percent of the inmates living with HIV in U.S. prisons were men and the prevalence of STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, continue to be much higher among male inmates as compared to the U.S. population at large.
	Market concentration has differing impacts on ACA marketplace premiums A new study published by the journal Health Affairs and coauthored by NYU Wagner dean Sherry Glied looks at the growth in health insurance premiums from 2014 to 2015 in two state-based Affordable Care Act Marketplaces: NY State of Health, and Covered California.
	Physical inactivity increases risk of thrombosis Women with poor physical fitness display significantly higher platelet activation than women with average to very good fitness. That is the major finding of a study of 62 young women, conducted by the research groups of Ivo Volf (MedUni Vienna Institute for Physiology) and Rochus Pokan (University of Vienna Institute for Sports Sciences) and sponsored by the Austrian Heart Foundation. Platelet (thrombocyte) activation can lead to the formation of potentially life-threatening blood clots. These blood clots can block blood vessels (thrombosis) and cut off the blood supply to organs.
Yoga and aquatic exercise can help combat MS symptoms Exercise can have a positive influence on certain symptoms of multiple sclerosis: Patients who do yoga and aquatic exercise suffer less from fatigue, depression and paresthesia, as reported by researchers from the University of Basel and the Psychiatric University Clinics Basel in a joint study with colleagues in Iran.
Cardiologists discover new mechanism for pathogenesis of heart failure A weak heart is unable to pump an adequate amount of blood around the body. In Germany, this condition is now the commonest reason for patients to be admitted to hospital. A research group from the Clinic for Internal Medicine III in the Faculty of Medicine at Kiel's Christian Albrecht University (CAU) and Schleswig-Holstein University Hospital (Kiel Campus) has discovered a previously unknown heart muscle protein and also described a new mechanism by which heart failure can develop. The results of this fundamental work were published today (Thursday, 28 April 2016) in the prestigious scientific journal Nature Communications.
	Including excess muscle in the scientific definition of obesity Researchers have determined that obesity involves excessive body weight (including fat and muscle) for a given height and not just excess body fat as was formerly believed.
One in five rheumatoid arthritis patients missing recommended flu jab Research from The University of Manchester has found a shortfall in the uptake of influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations among those diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), potentially increasing their infection risk.
Group activities reduced depressive symptoms among older people with dementia Both a high-intensity functional exercise programme and a non-exercise group activity, conducted among older care facility residents with dementia, reduced high levels of depressive symptoms. However, exercise had no superior effect on depression, according to a dissertation from Umeå University.
	What are delusions – and how best can we treat them? From believing that clouds are alien spaceships to thinking that MI6 agents are following you in unmarked cars, delusions are the hallmark of severe mental illness. Even psychologists and psychiatrists who work with delusional patients remain puzzled about why someone can possibly hold such beliefs when the evidence is clearly contradictory. And if we can't really understand them, how are we supposed to help?
	Researchers publish largest eye study among Latinos The University of Southern California (USC) Roski Eye Institute researchers and clinicians published results of the largest population-based study of adult Latinos and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the National Eye Institute-funded "Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES)." The study, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, is the first to analyze the risk and prevalence of early and late stage AMD and its impact on quality of life for older Latinos.
Team identifies new function of genes linked to Fanconi anemia and certain types of cancer Researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified an important new function of genes in the Fanconi anemia pathway—a finding that could have implications for development of new therapies to treat this disorder and some cancers.
	Adults with bipolar disorder at equal risk for anxiety or depression following mania Adults with bipolar disorder are just as likely to develop anxiety as depression following an episode of mania, according to data from a national survey of more than 34,000 adults. This finding, published today in Molecular Psychiatry, may expand our understanding of bipolar disorder to include anxiety.
	Number of HIV infections falling in United States, but fails to meet reduction goals The number of new HIV infections occurring annually in the United States decreased by an estimated 11 percent from 2010 to 2015, while the HIV transmission rate decreased by an estimated 17 percent during the same time period, according to new research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University of Pennsylvania.
Making health care prices available does not result in lower outpatient spending Offering a health care services price transparency tool to employees at 2 large companies was not associated with lower outpatient spending, according to a study appearing in the May 3 issue of JAMA.
Web-based, self-help intervention helps prevent depression Among patients experiencing some symptoms of depression, the use of a web-based guided self-help intervention reduced the incidence of major depressive disorder over 12 months compared with enhanced usual care, according to a study appearing in the May 3 issue of JAMA.
	Study finds high rate of inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions in US An estimated 30 percent of outpatient oral antibiotic prescriptions in the U.S. in 2010-2011 may have been inappropriate, findings that support the need for establishing a goal for outpatient antibiotic stewardship, according to a study appearing in the May 3 issue of JAMA.
	Chemoradiotherapy vs. chemotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic cancer In a study appearing in the May 3 issue of JAMA, Pascal Hammel, M.D., of Beaujon Hospital, Clichy, France and colleagues assessed whether chemoradiotherapy improves overall survival of patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer controlled after 4 months of gemcitabine-based induction chemotherapy, and assessed the effect of erlotinib on survival. Gemcitabine and erlotinib are drugs used to treat cancer.
Recurrent viral respiratory tract infections during first six months and risk of T1 diabetes In a study appearing in the May 3, 2016 issue of JAMA, Anette-Gabriele Ziegler, M.D., of Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, Munich, Germany, and colleagues examined associations between infection types during the first 2 years of life and between respiratory tract infections in the first 6 months and type l diabetes (T1D). Viral infections, particularly enteroviruses, have been hypothesized to cause T1D. Recent studies suggest that respiratory tract infections are associated with increased T1D risk if they are encountered within the first 6 months.
Transplanted nerve cells survive a quarter of a century in a Parkinson's disease patient In the late 1980s and over the 1990s, researchers at Lund University in Sweden pioneered the transplantation of new nerve cells into the brains of patients with Parkinson's disease. The outcomes proved for the first time that transplanted nerve cells can survive and function in the diseased human brain. Some patients showed marked improvement after the transplantation while others showed moderate or no relief of symptoms. A small number of patients suffered unwanted side-effects in the form of involuntary movements.
No evidence of an association between silent brain infarcts and having migraine with aura A large cross-sectional study focused on women with migraines with aura and compared their brain MRI images with those of women not suffering from migraine. No differences between these two groups of women were found with regard to number of silent infarcts and white matter hyperintensities (WMH). The findings were published today in Brain.
Turn up the heat to increase altitude tolerance Altitude training is a popular method for athletes wanting to improve their physical performance. At high altitudes oxygen levels are blood cells. This enables an enhanced performance at lower altitudes because more oxygen can be delivered to the muscles.
	Imodium for a legal high is as dumb and dangerous as it sounds The over-the-counter anti-diarrhea medication Imodium, or its key ingredient loperamide, is increasingly being abused by people attempting to self-treat their opioid addiction, with sometime fatal results. Two case studies outlining the phenomenon were published online Friday in Annals of Emergency Medicine.
	Mother's hepatitis B supports chronic infection in children, study finds Chronic hepatitis B infection, a lifetime disease with no effective cure, could one day be cleared from a person's system with a series of shots, according to a new USC study.
	Study: 'Biggest Loser' contestants have slower metabolisms A new study has found that many competitors on NBC's "The Biggest Loser" leave the show with a slower metabolism, making it more difficult to keep off the pounds.
	Artemisia extract ups insulin sensitivity in GDM (HealthDay)—For women with gestational diabetes mellitus, daily administration of Artemisia extract is associated with improved insulin sensitivity, according to a study published online April 27 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
	Report: why health care costs are lower in Europe than US (HealthDay)—European residents have access to the same health care services as U.S. residents but pay much less, and this is related to several specific factors, according to a report published by INDIGOMED on April 25.
	Lasting safety, efficacy for magnetic device in GERD (HealthDay)—For patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a magnetic device is safe and effective for augmenting lower esophageal sphincter function over a five-year follow-up period, according to a study published in the May issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
	Sleeve gastrectomy improves left ventricular systolic function (HealthDay)—For men and women, sleeve gastrectomy improves left ventricular (LV) systolic function, according to a study published online April 27 in the Journal of Clinical Ultrasound.
	High risk of long-term complications seen with ICDs (HealthDay)—Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are associated with a high risk of long-term complications, according to research published online May 3 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	FDA: Brintellix changing name to avoid confusion with brilinta (HealthDay)—Following a July 2015 Drug Safety Communication that warned about name confusion between Brintellix and Brilinta resulting in prescribing errors, the antidepressant Brintellix (vortioxetine) is changing its name to Trintellix, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Placenta size and offspring bone development linked Researchers at the Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, studied 518 children in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) who underwent bone scans at nine, 15 and 17 years old. Measurements such as thickness, volume and weight, were also taken from the mothers' placenta.
	Early warning: Current Japanese encephalitis vaccine might not protect Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is the leading cause of viral encephalitis (infection of the brain) in Asia. There is no specific treatment for Japanese encephalitis (JE) which can cause death or serious long-term disability, and WHO recommends JEV vaccination in all areas where the disease is recognized as a public health priority. A study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases suggests that current vaccines may fail to protect individuals against an emerging strain of the virus.
Shared sanitation facilities and risk of diarrhea in children Sharing a sanitation facility between households can be linked to increased risk of moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) in children under 5 y at some sites, according to Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS) study findings published this week in PLOS Medicine. The study, conducted by Kelly K. Baker of University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, United States, and colleagues, suggests that access to private sanitation facilities should remain a global health priority.
	Research sheds light the neural structure that controls our sleep, eating habits, hormones and more What's that old saying about Mussolini? Say what you will but he made the trains run on time. Well, the suprachiasmatic nucleus—SCN for short—makes everything in the body run on time. The SCN is the control center for our internal genetic clock, the circadian rhythms which regulate everything from sleep to hunger, insulin sensitivity, hormone levels, body temperature, cell cycles and more.
CDC: Preschoolers with ADHD often given drugs before therapy Too many preschoolers with ADHD still are being put on drugs right away, before behavior therapy is tried, health officials say.
	Could infant colds, other infections raise type 1 diabetes risk? (HealthDay)— Colds and other infections in the first six months of life may boost the odds of a child developing type 1 diabetes by nearly 20 percent, new research suggests.
	Parkinson's disease pathogenesis reduced in rat model by a cell-signaling inhibitor drug University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers report the first documentation that suppressing a key cell-signaling pathway in a rat model of Parkinson's disease reduces pathogenesis. Oral administration of AZD1480—one of the JAK/STAT pathway inhibitors generally known as Jakinibs—lessened the destructive inflammation and nerve cell degradation in the area of the brain affected by Parkinson's.
	Curing hepatitis C will create transplant opportunities for patients with other illnesses Recently developed treatments that cure hepatitis C virus (HCV) will create new opportunities for people with other liver diseases to receive transplanted livers.
	Another big verdict in talc case against Johnson & Johnson (Update) Twice in the past three months, juries have awarded tens millions of dollars to ovarian cancer victims who blamed Johnson & Johnson talcum powder for their illness—among the first verdicts in a gathering courtroom assault by law firms that are aggressively recruiting clients through TV ads and the Internet.
Drinking water prior to meals may help weight loss It has often been recommended in popular weight-loss programs that overweight and obese individuals hoping to shed unwanted pounds should drink more water.
Austin, Indiana—the HIV capital of small-town America Jessica and Darren McIntosh were too busy to see me when I arrived at their house one Sunday morning. When I returned later, I learned what they'd been busy with: arguing with a family member, also an addict, about a single pill of prescription painkiller she'd lost, and injecting meth to get by in its absence. Jessica, 30, and Darren, 24, were children when they started using drugs. Darren smoked his first joint when he was 12 and quickly moved on to snorting pills. "By the time I was 13, I was a full-blown pill addict, and I have been ever since," he said. By age 14, he'd quit school. When I asked where his care givers were when he started using drugs, he laughed. "They're the ones that was giving them to me," he alleged. "They're pill addicts, too."
A Mediterranean-style diet decreases the levels of the inflammatory marker called C-reactive protein Sticking to a Mediterranean style diet decreases the levels of the inflammatory marker called C-reative protein, linked to ageing, finds the EU funded project NU-AGE. At a recent conference in Brussels, researchers presented that a NU-AGE Mediterranean style diet, tested in the project, significantly decreased the levels of the protein known as C-reactive protein, one of the main inflammatory markers linked with the ageing process. Another positive effect of this diet was that the rate of bone loss in people with osteoporosis was reduced. Other parameters such as insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular health, digestive health and quality of life are yet to be analysed.
	Preventing foot ulcers with pressure-predicting model A new mathematical model to predict the pressure on feet, which could then lead to the prevention of foot ulcers, could be developed thanks to academics at Plymouth University.
Funding decline for a US government HIV/AIDS initiative raises concerns A U.S. government agency whose mission is to help save the lives of people around the world living with HIV and AIDS has seen a steep drop in funding for an important part of its budget. The finding, from a UCLA study, could be a cause for concern because many countries rely on the agency to help pay for vital health care services for people with the disease.
	Drexel's National Autism Indicators Report 2016: Vocational rehabilitation The A.J. Drexel Autism Institute's latest National Autism Indicators Report found that 60 percent of people with autism who received services from Vocational Rehabilitation left the program with jobs, but a majority earned wages below the federal poverty line.
	Ebola vaccine—Promising phase I trials The clinical phase I trial of a potential vaccine against the dreaded Ebola virus has been successfully completed at four partner sites in Africa and Europe. The safety of the tested vaccine 'rVSV-ZEBOV', which induces persistent antibodies against the virus, has been confirmed. The results are currently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Updated Cochrane Review: Corticosteroids for managing tuberculous meningitis The Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group (CIDG) have carried out a review update to evaluate the effects of corticosteroids being used alongside anti-tuberculosis medication to treat people suffering from tuberculous meningitis.
Germany to legalise medicinal cannabis: minister Germany is to legalise cannabis for medicinal purposes early next year, the health minister said on Tuesday.
Canada catches up with ban on genetic discrimination Canadian lawmakers were a legislative step closer Tuesday to banning genetic discrimination including in the workplace or by health insurers.
One in four patients with COPD suffer from depression Although there have been discussions about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a condition impacting 24 million Americans, and depression, there has been little research showing the impact depression has on patients with COPD. Two studies published in the April issue of the journal CHEST found one in four patients with COPD suffer from depressive symptoms, and if not treated, those symptoms can have a negative effect on their overall health and treatment effectiveness.
Macrophage population activates repair in murine heart attack model Following a heart attack, successful repair of damaged tissue can prevent cardiac rupture and other adverse outcomes. The ability to repair myocardial tissue depends on the activation of fibroblasts, which stimulate the formation of connective tissue.
	Can personality traits affect likelihood of using mindfulness-based stress reduction? A new study of older adults, who can gain particular quality of life benefits from the use of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) techniques, showed that specific personality traits were associated with individual differences in the use of MBSR during and post-training. These findings can help better tailor MBSR programs to targeted populations, as described in an article in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
	New research describes bioreactor to support whole lung regeneration An innovative mechanical system that mimics the ventilation and blood flow in the chest cavity, housed in a specialized, sterile bioreactor, can support the growth of engineered whole lungs at human scale. Researchers designed this biomimetic environment to advance toward clinical application of whole lung regeneration for transplant using a patient's own cells, as described in BioResearch Open Access, a peer-reviewed open access journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available to download on the BioResearch Open Access website.

Biology news

	Researchers release video game to help build a better test for tuberculosis Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine are releasing a new version of a web-based video game that will harness the creative brain power of thousands of nonscientist players.
	Biologists find the Arizona black rattlesnake on 'extinction trajectory' A combination of drought and fire has put the Arizona black rattlesnake on an "extinction trajectory," according to University of Arkansas researchers.
	Bacteria use traffic-cop-like mechanism to infect gut A study has found that a syringe-like device used to invade intestinal cells also acts as a traffic cop—directing bacteria where to go and thereby enabling them to efficiently carry out infection.
	Why Labrador retrievers are more interested in food than other breeds Dog owners tell their vets that Labrador retrievers are always interested in food, and new work shows there might be a biological truth to the claim. A May 3 study in Cell Metabolism links a gene alteration specifically found in Labs and related flat coat retrievers to greater food-motivated behavior, describing the first gene associated with canine obesity. The variation also occurs more frequently in Labradors chosen as assistance dogs, and might explain why these canines seem more trainable with food rewards.
	Algae use their 'tails' to gallop and trot like quadrupeds Species of single-celled algae use whip-like appendages called flagella to coordinate their movements and achieve a remarkable diversity of swimming gaits.
	'Eve' and descendants shape global sperm whale population structure Although sperm whales have not been driven to the brink of extinction as have some other whales, a new study has found a remarkable lack of diversity in the maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA within the species.
	In Pacific nation of Palau, Jellyfish Lake losing namesake The big question at Palau's Jellyfish Lake: Where are all the jellyfish?
The herring genome provides new insight on how species adapt to their environment How species genetically adapt to their environment is a central question related to the evolution of biodiversity. In a new study scientists at Uppsala University and their colleagues report that whole genome sequencing of Atlantic and Baltic herring revealed hundreds of loci underlying adaptation to the brackish Baltic Sea or timing of reproduction. The study is published today in eLife.
	The name's Jamesbondia—new group of Caribbean plants named after James Bond A new subgenus of plants has officially been called Jamesbondia after the notable American ornithologist James Bond, whose name Ian Fleming is known to have used for his eponymous spy series.
	Estimates of cheetah numbers are 'guesswork', say researchers Current estimates of the number of cheetahs in the wild are 'guesswork', say the authors of a new study which finds that the population in the cheetah stronghold of Maasai Mara, Kenya, is lower than previously thought.
Team studies chromosome missegregation A recent research study at The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota is providing insight into the regulation of chromosome segregation and the mechanisms used by cells to prevent them from forming tumors.
	Scientists reveal how cell corrects errors made in gene transcription RNA polymerase II (Pol II), a key enzyme in our gene expression, is responsible for transcribing DNA into messenger RNA. Errors in transcription can cause deleterious effect upon repeated translation of erroneous mRNA into protein. Transcription infidelity may result in aging and human diseases such as cancer. During transcription, Pol II can detect the mis-incorporated RNA and backtrack to correct errors to ensure that each messenger RNA created will match with template DNA. However, it remains largely a mystery how Pol II controls the fidelity of gene transcription.
Seeking to rewind mammalian extinction In December 2015 an international group of scientists convened in Austria to discuss the imminent extinction of the northern white rhinoceros and the possibility of bringing the species back from brink of extinction. The discussions of this historic meeting appear in the international Journal Zoo Biology. The publication of this work is designed as part of the ongoing effort to raise awareness for the extinction crisis facing rhinos and many other species while also reaching out to the scientific community to share and gather information.
	Indian police arrest forest guards over rhino poaching Indian police said Tuesday they have arrested four forest guards on suspicion of helping to cover up rhino poaching in a national park visited by Britain's Prince William and his wife last month.
	No rhinos poached in Nepal for past two years While Africa struggles to stem record-breaking rhino poaching, Nepal today marked two years since its last rhino was poached on May 2nd 2014 – as well as its 4th year of zero poaching of rhinos since 2011.
	Researchers discover three new primate species Three new species of mouse lemurs—the smallest primates in the world—have been discovered by scientists at the University of Kentucky, along with collaborators at the German Primate Center and Duke Lemur Center.
	Literature on cycads continues to accumulate As traditional print journals merge with contemporary web-based journals, publishing scientists find themselves in a rapidly evolving transition. In order to understand how these changes in publishing culture have influenced the literature on cycads, authors April Cascasan and Thomas Marler recently conducted comparisons of online search approaches and the established foundation of printed proceedings from international conferences focused on cycads. The result of the endeavor appeared in the March 2016 issue of the Journal of Threatened Taxa.
New research provides insights on seal species Conservation and management efforts rely on clear definitions of populations, subspecies, and species.
Current whale migration models are too simplified New research challenges the traditional view that baleen whales (Mysticetes) migrate between high-latitude feeding areas and low-latitude breeding areas.
	New guidelines explain how to monitor and treat hyperthyroid cats Over the last 30+ years, veterinary professionals' understanding of clinical feline hyperthyroidism (FHT) has evolved tremendously. Initially FHT cats were referred to a specialist and now primary practitioners routinely manage these cases. The disease reportedly affects from 1.5-11.4% of cats around the world and is the most common endocrine disease of cats over 10 years of age in the US. The Guidelines for the Management of Feline Hyperthyroidism, from the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), are published today in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery.
Birds of a different color: Why some birds have more than one color type In some animals, the same species can occur in two or more color types, or morphs. New research may help solve the mystery of how this can occur despite the pressures of evolution.
	Alternative explanations for the evolution of monogamy and sibling cooperation The textbook "monogamy hypothesis" argues that monogamy favors the evolution of cooperation by increasing sibling relatedness, since helpers are as related to the full siblings that they care for as they are to their own offspring. So under certain circumstances helping can be as, or even more, successful in getting genes passed on as reproducing. But in an Opinion, published May 3 in Trends in Ecology & Evolution, two experts in social and reproductive behavior say that the proof isn't all there.
	New insights on how oysters form shells Researchers know that several proteins are involved in oyster shell formation, but how expression of these proteins is controlled is not well understood. Now investigators report that they have identified a protein called Pf-POU3F4 that promotes expression of two of these proteins, called Aspein and Prismalin-14.
	Curious new bush species growing 'bleeding' fruits named by a US class of 150 7th graders A class of 150 US 7th graders has helped select a name for a newly discovered plant, which amazes with its fruits that appear to be bleeding once they are cut open. Bucknell University biology professor Chris Martine and life science teacher Bradley Catherman challenged the students to come up with ideas for what to call the new Australian species last spring.
San Francisco tree could get landmark status or the ax The fate of a tall, slender pine tree that a San Francisco property owner wants to cut down but that neighbors are rallying to save is now in the hands of city leaders.
From lab to sanctuary: 220 research chimps being relocated All 220 chimpanzees at a Louisiana university's research lab in New Iberia will be moving to a new sanctuary in north Georgia, the university said Monday, in what appears to be a first for a non-federal lab.

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